Back to Topside

View from Topside
Jupiter, FL
April 17, 2024

 Chris and I returned to Topside at the Beacon, a local establishment, last evening for Happy Hour with friends. We had last been there a few months ago and determined that it was not a place that we enjoyed, even though the view is awesome.

We were advised that the menu had been restructured and the management improved and so we headed back to try the place. 

Our friends were correct--the food was much better, the service improved, and both significantly complimented the stunning view. And the view was stunning last evening. I never tire of looking at the Jupiter Lighthouse and I must have hundreds of images of it from every direction.

We enjoyed a great evening with friends and watched as the day turned into night over the lighthouse.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Saturday Afternoon

 

Walking onto the Beach
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
April 6, 2024

It was off to the beach for Happy Hour with friends yesterday afternoon. 

It had been another beautiful day with crystal blue skies, mild temperatures, and low humidity. 

I passed on a bike ride, but did walk Finnegan for almost 1.5 miles. We kept up a solid 20 minute per mile pace--even with his stops for relief. 

Ultralight over the Ocean
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
April 6, 2024

The beach was the highlight of the day which saw me clear some stuff from the garage and make a trip to the storage room. There was a large wedding set-up just on the entrance to the beach and we got to enjoy the wedding music for a while before the ceremony began.

An ultralight provided some entertainment after the wedding departed. It flew over the ocean just off shore and did some circles in the sky. 

The tide was rising and we had to move our chairs back twice as the waves tried to overrun our position. Some of our stuff got wet, but it was just water. Well, and sand!

A great time on the beach and then home. I am very happy the daylight is making it to about 8 PM.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Trucks N' Tunes April 2024

Constitution Park
Tequesta, FL
April 5, 2024

 I enjoyed an evening out at a local park with friends for Happy Hour. It was another in a string of beautiful evenings with moderate temperatures, crystal blue skies, and low humidity. The Village of Tequesta sponsors the event and throngs of people and kids showed up to enjoy the evening. 

The live music and the food trucks are the draw, but the weather provided the exclamation point. I truly enjoy watching the kids, of all ages, race around the park and just enjoy being outside. I wonder if they find it an enjoyable break from computers and smart phones? 

The music was mostly oldies, and I mean old. We recognized songs from the 50s and 60s. Looking around it was clear that most of the people were far too young to appreciate the songs, even though they were not performed very well. The lead singer was having pitch problems and also did not have good command of some of the songs. It was like he learned them yesterday. 

But, it was enjoyable to be out of the house and enjoying a meal with friends. Did I mention Happy Hour? Oh yes ,we also enjoyed Happy Hour before heading out to the food trucks for dinner.

This was the first Trucks N' Tunes since Daylight Saving Time went into effect and it was nice having daylight until almost 8 PM. This was also the last Trucks N' Tunes listed for the year, sadly. I expect the series to resume in November. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Cyber Truck On the Road

Tesla Cyber-Truck
I-95 South of Ft Lauderdale
March 27, 2024
Photo by Lucas

 I spied my first Tesla cyber-truck.

It was on I-95 south of Ft Lauderdale the other day coming back from our air boating excursion. 

OK--while it may have looked neat during its introduction a few years ago, it is very different on the road and not at all like a DeLorean. 

Tesla Cyber-Truck
I-95 South of Ft Lauderdale
March 27, 2024
Photo by Lucas

In fact, it does not look too much like a truck.

It cannot be comfortable inside. At least it does not look comfortable. 

I feel pretty sure that this vehicle will go the way of the Dodo and DeLorean.

I wonder if it was driving in the hands free mode, I know that I was at the time. Luke had a better view of it out his window and so I asked him to take the pictures. 

Well, now I have seen it in person.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Beach Calls

Carlin Park Beach
Jupiter, FL
March 13, 2024

With relatively blue skies and temperatures touching on 80 degrees, yesterday was a definite beach Happy Hour day!

And we did. 

It was good to reconnect with friends while enjoying the afternoon listening to the waves hit the beach. It is nice now with Daylight Saving Time that we have more time on the beach in the evening. And the ocean was relatively calm yesterday. It was even too calm for the surfers. There was one brave soul trying to catch a wave and he had a few nice short runs, but in the end the ocean kept getting calmer and he stopped trying. 

As it had been a couple weeks since we last enjoyed Happy Hour on the beach, due to weather and travel, yesterday's visit was even better. We chatted with a nice beach walker and even shared some wine with him. We enjoyed our time and departed before sunset. 

I'd like to do it all over again tonight--but, alas we likely will not be able to make it happen.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Friday Night Happy Hour Week 2

Tiki 52 on a Friday Evening
Tequesta, FL
February 23, 2024

 Although we were unaccompanied, Chris and I celebrated Friday Night Happy Hour for the second straight week by heading out to one of our new favorite watering holes, Tiki 52 Bar & Grill, where we enjoyed the setting sun and life by the water. 

Tiki 52 is not far from our house and we could bike it easily--but biking along US 1 on a Friday evening can be, well in a word, dangerous!

Pelican at Tiki 52
Tequesta, FL
February 23, 2024

Friday evening the colors of the sky, water, and Tiki 52 combined to make a very busy palette. I found it appealing to the eye. Unlike the last time we visited, we did not get to see any large fish be off-loaded from a returning fishing boat, but as evening was drawing near many boats were returning and it was fun to watch them arrive at the nearby marina.

We arrived before the crowds and before the live music. That meant we had relative calm and were able to enjoy  good table service and the Happy Hour pricing. By the time we departed, the parking lot was jammed and people were waiting for tables. It was a beautiful evening, for a change. Relatively warm and the winds were light. 

February in South Florida is the best!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#happyhour #fridaynight #tiki52tequesta #tiki52

The Sofa Story, Continued and Maybe Concluded

The Sofa
Tequesta, FL
February 19,2024

This is a follow-up to the blog from a couple days ago And So It Begins . . .  

In that blog I wrote about our just over one-year sofa, two-months out of warranty upon which which the fabric was failing and my efforts to work with La-Z-Boy to provide some relief.

Amazingly, the saga of the poor wearing fabric on the La-Z-Boy sofa has been apparently resolved. 

Favorably! 

I will not consider the issue closed until the new sofa is received in 6-8 weeks and the old one hauled away, but our replacement sofa is on order and the only cost to me was $171 and that was because we upgraded the fabric over our original purchase.

We managed to get all of the discounts that we originally received--the President's Day Sale really helped with that one as did my Military Discount. And we also retained our free delivery! 

I had provided the adjuster with 23 images and it was agreed that the fabric was defective. The following day adjuster sent credit information to the store where we originally purchased the sofa and later that same day Chris and I picked out an upgraded fabric to have another sofa in the same style prepared as a replacement. 

It was a relatively smooth process, well, except that it was pretty clear that this does not happen often and there was a lot of checking to see how to actually get the order into the system. 

All-in-all, we are so far very satisfied with the process.

Wow! I really did not expect to be writing that. 

I guess it really is true--you cannot get a yes unless you ask the question!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#lazboy #lazboypoorwear #lazboycomesthrough

And so it begins . . .

Our Sofa
Tequesta, FL
February 20, 2024

 Chris and I bought a sofa from La-Z-Boy which was delivered during December 2022. 

We are not happy with it. The fabric is not wearing up as it should. Mind you, there are only two of us, no kids and only a small 6 pound dog. 

Fabric Wear on Sofa

This is the second sofa we purchased from La-Z-Boy which has failed to meet wear expectations. The last one was about 20 years ago and we were totally dissed by the company when we tried to get some satisfaction. One of the representatives even went so far as to say, "you actually sat on the sofa?"

Well, they have not yet said that to us, but we found out that we are two months out of the fabric warranty. Yay! But, I persisted and a representative of the company is looking into what they can do for us. I sent them 23 images yesterday--including the two above. Some of the poor wear is visible on the footrest on the right of the top image. Most of the real problem is in the fabric wear. The sofa looks as if it is already 5 years old! That is not pilling, which is a normal part of fabric aging , I am told.

Very disappointing.

Well, we will see what La-Z-Boy will do for us.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#lazboy #lazboypoorwear

Sunny, Cold and Springtime

Springtime is arriving in South Florida. 

Mango Tree in Bloom behind the Palm
Turtle Creek, Tequesta, FL
February 14, 2024

No, I can't say that Spring is springing because the snow has melted or the daffodils are popping up in gardens throughout the area--that just isn't happening. I don't expect to see daffodils, except in pots until Chris and I return to Maryland in early March. 

But, what is happening is that the trees are leafing--yes, while the trees do not all lose their leaves, the live oaks do shed many of their leaves and there are other trees that actually go dormant for a time. The leafs are getting thicker! There is more shade on the ground. 

What really brought home the idea of a South Florida springtime was when I saw the mango trees in bloom during my bike rides last week. And mangos are everywhere, it seems. 

Mangos are fun and they are a nuisance. They are fun because they are good to eat and they are fairly ubiquitous. They are a nuisance because people do not pick them up off the sidewalks and roadways and they become a hazard to walkers and bikers. 

But, I have discovered how to actually identify the arrival of Spring here in South Florida. Now if the temperature would crawl back up into the high 70s it would be ideal. The 49 degrees I am looking at right now is just cold! Too cold for a bike ride even though the sky is blue and the sun is warm.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Exclamation Point on the Week

 

Reflection of the Sunset
Carlin Park Beach, Jupiter, FL
February 16, 2024

It was Friday night! 

And in memory of all of the Friday evening happy hours we have spent with friends, we gathered, with friends, on the beach to be entertained by the surfers and watch the daylight fade. 

Bundled up on the Beach
Carlin Park Beach, Jupiter, FL
February 16, 2024

It was breezy and cool. But we managed to enjoy some adult beverages and food along with spirited conversation. As can be seen, we were bundled up sitting there on the beach, but I was amazed at the number of surfers who were out in the water braving the elements to get a one more ride on a wave.

The kite surfers were also out in force. There is a kite in the image of us sitting on the beach. The surfer had just come to shore and was calling it a day. 

Evening Surfer
Carlin Park Beach, Jupiter, FL
February 16, 2024

I remember when Happy Hour was the exclamation point on the week. Since I've retired, however, that is not as true as it once was. It is still nice to enjoy a week ending happy hour with friends, however.

And now, without further ado, on to the weekend!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Along the Intracoastal (ICW)

Honey Fitz former Presidential Yacht
Jupiter, FL
February 13, 2024

 During our boat trip on Tuesday, we spied many interesting things along the ICW on our way south to Jupiter and return. 

One of them was the Honey Fitz, the former Presidential Yacht. It had moved from its previous location in Tequesta into the Jupiter inlet and was docked outside of the Pelican Club. The Pelican Club is where President Biden had his fundraising lunch about two weeks ago. Because the location was not published in advance and we could not gather outside the club to see and wish him well. 

Sea Bean coming out of the Barn
Port Salerno, FL
February 13, 2024

During our journey, Chris and I were able to point out many of the important sights along the way. The Jupiter Lighthouse, of course, was one. But we also traversed the US-1 bridge construction area which is a bit congested.

 

Beach Road Drawbridge
Jupiter, FL
February 13, 2024

They were able to see how a boat comes out of the barn at the marina and is set in the water and prepared for us. I just think it is so cool to see my boat being transported to the water and readied. 

We were also able to show them the drawbridges along the way. During our trip we passed under three drawbridges, one of them actually was opening as we transited. Of course the US-1 bridge construction will be the fourth drawbridge once it is completed. We also showed them the rail drawbridge along side of Alternate A1A. 

It was not just a lunch cruise. And with the manatee and dolphin sightings along with numerous ospreys, there was plenty of wildlife observed as well. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#boating #freedomboatclubsouthfl #intracoastalwaterway #honeyfitz

What Did You Do on Super Bowl Sunday?

Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
February 11, 2024

 What an interesting question to ask? 

I had a great Super Bowl Sunday. We hosted friends for the big game in the evening, but during the day . . . 

During the day we headed off to the beach for some sun, wind, cool air, sand, rough surf, and local birds! There is always sand!

Chris and I along with two friends enjoyed a couple hours on the beach staring at the rough waves crashing on the beach and the crazy surfers who were trying to conquer them. 

There were only a few surfers and they quickly decided that the waves were too irregular to surf. 

I put my feet into the water, but even though the official temperature was 78 degrees, it felt much colder. The air temperature was just over 80 degrees, but with the wind it felt cold. We spent a few hours on the beach enjoying the day before heading back to the house to prepare for our blow-out Super Bowl party.

The video shows the waves and the some seagull activities in the wind.

And the Kansas City Chiefs managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for a great overtime ending to the big game. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#carlinparkbeach #jupiterfl #beach

Trucks N' Tunes Returns

 

The Village of Tequesta is a great place to live! During the winter months they sponsor a Trucks N' Tunes on the first Friday of the month. They sponsor a variety of food trucks and a  band plays in the Constitution Park gazebo. It is a fun time and it is free, well except for buying food from the trucks. 

Tequesta Trucks N' Tunes After Dark
Tequesta, FL
February 2, 2024

We went to the February version of Trucks N' Tunes last evening. The food trucks offer a wide variety of food choices. Chris and I had pulled pork sandwiches which were excellent. Next month we may try some Latin offering.

We had a great time celebrating the pleasant weather and Groundhog Day! The evening temperature was in the low 70s and it was almost invigorating to see the kids running around the park. And there were a lot of kids with their families. The band was great and played a variety of rock music. 

I took a short video of the band and their music. They had a great rock sound. Maybe the bass was a bit overpowering, but given that I was a distance from them, it was nice background music and did not detract from our conversation. I took the video at the beginning of the evening, while it was still daylight and before the crowd arrived. We like to arrive early to get the best parking and we also have Happy Hour while listening to the music. About 30 minutes after I took this video, all of the space between me and the gazebo was filled with families. It is a family friendly event.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#tequesta

#tequestatrucksntunes

Making it to Costco

Costco Gas Pump
West Palm Beach, FL
January 24, 2024

 Chris and I finally made it to Costco yesterday. We had been scheduling and rescheduling for two days.

It was no small feat, as it turns out. But, in the end I believe that it was worth the effort. 

The West Palm Beach (WPB) Costco is HUGE! And the parking is chaotic at best. The good news was that the lines for the gas pumps were not long yesterday. That was a miracle, but I guess going about 10:30 AM on a Wednesday morning has something to do with that. I was happy that gas was $2.899. Shouldn't we call that $2.90? But, no, we call it $2.89. Why are gas pumps allowed to dispense gas in tenth of a cent measures anyway?  

Walking into the WPB Costco can be exciting and I have often needed to dodge cars and crazy pedestrians pushing overloaded shopping carts. What the video below shows is a relatively calm Costco morning. There are multitudes of shopping carts available in front of the store and no lines waiting for entry. It was almost pleasant.

Sometimes I get very nervous about Costco shopping and checkout--but even though this Costco is huge, things seem to move much smoother than the stores in Maryland. We have never been stuck in a long line to checkout, even on the busiest days (which we try hard to avoid).

Costco can be friend or foe depending upon the day.

But, Chris and I survived to shop another day.  

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Vet Day

Out the Windshield
Palm Beach Lakes, FL
January 23, 2024

Yesterday was tooth cleaning day for Finnegan. Our vet is about a 30-45 minute drive away, depending upon traffic, trains, and the draconian traffic lights which often seem as if they are doing everything possible to impede the flow of traffic.

The bridge in the image is one of my favorites along our route of travel. I like that it is lined with palms and had that classic Florida "look" to it.

We took Finn to the vet at 9AM and were scheduled to retrieve him between 2:30 and 3:30 PM. Along the route is our only Costco--and we planned to stop there three different times during the day. We never actually made to Costco and that stop is on tap for today's activity. We missed Costco because, first it wasn't open yet on our return trip from the Vet. Then we left too late to do Costco and pick Finn up. Finally, Finn was still pretty drugged when we passed by on our afternoon trip home from the vet and we chose not to subject him to the excitement and chaos of Costco in the afternoon. 

Finn recovered through the evening and by this morning was back to his old annoying self. Ge was funny to watch walk while still under the influence of the anesthesia, his back paws and front paws had a difficult time coordinating the direction he wanted to walk. It was almost like a halloween horse costume with two people inside trying to coordinate from and back. 

I laughed. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta. FL

Happy Veterans Day

 Thank you for your service! 

I say this to every veteran who, like myself, have devoted a portion of their adult lives to this great nation. I say it even to those with whom I do not agree, like my Congressman who truly is a war hero. 

A Pond on an Warm Afternoon
Riverbend Park, Jupiter, FL
November 10, 2023

I enjoyed a great Friday. That I rode 16.5 miles is almost an afterthought. That is just over 35 miles in the past two days. The highlight of the day was heading out to Riverbend Park and beginning to explore some new space. The park was the scene of battles during the Seminole Wars and I am only beginning to discover the history of the war. The park has many trails and we will be returning without our bikes very soon to explore them.

400 pound Swordfish
Blowing Rocks Marina, Tequesta, FL
November 10, 2023

For the evening, Chris and I went to one of our new favorite watering holes for Happy Hour. We were enjoying our conversation and libations when a fishing boat arrived at the marina with its catch of the day, two swordfish. One was 400 pounds and the other was 134 pounds. While I did not want to watch as the fish were weighed, I was drawn to the magnificent animal suspended by its tail. Just a few hours earlier the apex predator had been one of the kings of the ocean and now it was about to become dinner. I was told that it took over two hours to land the fish. The orange sky reflecting the rays of the setting sun made a unique backdrop for the image. The smaller swordfish is laying on the ground just under the hanging fish. 

It was another beautiful Florida day! November is one of the best months of the year here. But, traffic is increasing as the snowbirds complete their autumnal migration. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Chased off the Beach

Chris and Mary in the Ocean
Jupiter Island, FL
June 30, 2023

Yesterday was the last day of the first half of the year! Along with four friends, Chris and I determined to make yesterday a beach day. We have been enjoying the beautiful, but changeable, South Florida weather and wanted to enjoy some beach time.

We arrived with friends at the beach about 11 AM, but already to the south the storms were forming. Usually the storms arrive during the mid-to-late afternoon, but yesterday, sadly, they started forming during the late morning. 

Storm Clouds Forming 
Jupiter Island, FL
June 30, 2023

We set up our camp on the deserted beach. Yes, during the summertime in South Florida their care many beaches which can be considered deserted. There were no other beachgoers within a mile of us on this sandy ocean beach. The tide was low and we were able to access a sand bar and walk a couple hundred yards out into the gentle surf. The water was a very pleasant at roughly 85 degrees and we were planning for a full day beach excursion having brought sufficient food and water to support us. 

It was not to be. 

The storms formed to our south and wrapped around behind us to the west. As we had arrived at the beach via boat, I did not want to get caught on the open water while motoring about an hour back to the marina. So, sadly, we left our private beach and began the journey back to the marina. Towards the end of our trip the open water of the Saint Lucie river began to get very choppy and I was happy that we departed earlier than we had planned. 

Were we actually chased off the beach? In point of fact no. It is not like the rains were beating down upon us with lightening and thunder, but the storms did seem to be closing in and we chose to depart upon our terms rather than letting driving winds and rain force our departure. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Golfing in the Heat

 

Chris on the 12th Tee
Jupiter Dunes, FL
June 22, 2023

Chris and I could not resist yesterday. We had to get out and hit the golf course yesterday.

We managed to get out early, but it was still very hot and humid. By the time our round was over it was 87 degrees and the humidity was over 90 percent. Did I mention that we walk when we play this course? 

The course is undergoing summer upgrading. I know that sounds funny to golfers up north, but here in South Florida Summer is the low season and courses do their improvements. About half the course was undergoing Tee-box or green improvements. I had an unusually good round, for me. I mean really. I was just 15 over par, which is 3 strokes better than my bogie golf goal. The heat began to get to me at the end and I gave up a few strokes on the last couple holes. Chris also had a very good round. 

We were tired, hot, and more than ready to be done when I finally sank my putt on the 18th. But, we had finished the round and enjoyed our time together.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Motoring on the Chesapeake

Thomas Point Shoal Light
Chesapeake Bay
June 1, 2023

 It was an absolutely beautiful day for boating the Chesapeake. Chris and I procured a boat for the afternoon intending to share the experience with the family, but as life happened when the time came it was Chris, me, and Finnegan who got to enjoy an almost perfect boating day. 

The bay was almost flat and we were able to motor down the South River, from Liberty Marina, into the Bay and enjoyed a nice ride to Annapolis and then onward to the Bay Bridge. We motored up the river to the downtown Annapolis area, but decided not to tie up and walk the city. We saw the sights and maybe next time we will tie up at Pusser's for a meal. 

Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Chesapeake Bay
June 1, 2023

We discovered a couple of things on our trip. First, it is really hard to take pictures from a moving boat. Even when I cut the engine to idle, the undulating motion of the Bay really makes taking images tough. We also noted that I need to take an extra battery or a cable for my iPhone to support my navigation app.

One thing that we discovered yesterday was that the haze from the Canadian fires raging in Nova Scotia made it difficult to identify landmarks on the shoreline. It also made the multitude of freighters and tankers riding at anchor in the bay seem like a ghost fleet as they appeared out of the haze once we transitioned form South River into the Bay. 

Finn on the Bow in His Lifejacket
Chesapeake Bay
June 1, 2023

But as can be seen, aside from the haze, it was a nearly perfect boating day. I was able to use my nautical chart app on my iPhone to navigate to the places we wanted to visit. Even the bay bridge was invisible when we first motored into the bay, only later appearing out of the haze. It is so large that it seemed close when we first sighted it, yet still took a long time to actually pass under the spans.

Finnegan at times seemed to enjoy the trip, but he definitely did not like motoring through the wakes of other vessels. I admit, I sometimes didn't slow enough to minimize the crashing of the boat as we crossed the wakes because they did not seem as large as they actually were.

All-in-all, we had a great afternoon and successfully returned the boat to the marina without a scratch!

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Golfing, Biking, Boating or going to Costco?

I am reminded of a cartoon, Pinky and the Brain,  in which two nefarious characters ask, "What are we going to do tomorrow night?" And the answer, "The same thing we do every night, plan to take over the world."

Storm Clouds over Jupiter Dunes Hole 7
Jupiter, FL
May 12, 2023

That is similar to the situation Chris and I face nearly every day. We ask the question, "What are we going to do today?" But unlike Pinky and the Brain, we are then confronted a multiple choice answer:

"The same thing we do every day, decide between golfing, biking, boating, or going to Costco."

Yesterday was a golf day. It turned out to be a good choice given the early morning weather. Although it did not look like rain when we began the round, we were treated to a passing shower while we were playing the 5th and 6th holes. By the time we moved to the 7th Tee box, the showers had passed and the sun had almost completely dried the course. The greens were a bit slower, but not too bad. 

Chris had a good round and I had one of my better rounds. I even made a rare (for me) birdie on the last hole. It was hot by the time we departed the course at noon. I was very happy we made it out before the heat of the day set in. Of course, passing shower resulted in a significant humidity increase. 

Today the question remains outstanding, but the answer is trending towards biking. 

Time will tell.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL